Ten-man Manchester United moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League as Dimitar Berbatov’s late goal clinched a 1-0 win over Bolton yesterday.
Title rivals Arsenal, meanwhile, had to settle for a 2-2 draw at West Brom.
With Alex Ferguson watching from the stands as the United boss served the first of his five-match touchline ban, his side’s hopes of breaking down an obdurate Bolton defence suffered a blow in the second half when centre-back Jonny Evans was shown a straight red card by referee Andre Marriner for a dangerous tackle on Stuart Holden.
But the leaders produced another of their regular late rallies and Bulgarian forward Berbatov came off the bench to bag the 88th-minute winner after Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen spilled Nani’s shot.
Ferguson said: “You’ve got to admire the character of the players. The fans were fantastic, but the players take great credit.
“They have come through a tough programme and deserve all the credit they get.”
That dramatic late intervention increased United’s lead thanks to Arsenal’s latest stumble at the Hawthorns.
Arsene Wenger’s side have already lost the League Cup final and crashed out of the Champions League and FA Cup in the last month and now even a win in their game in hand on United would leave them two points off the top.
The second-placed Gunners suffered a nightmare start as Steven Reid headed Albion into the lead with a third-minute header from Chris Brunt’s corner.
A shambolic piece of goalkeeping from Manuel Almunia allowed Roy Hodgson’s team to double their lead in the 58th minute, with Peter Odemwingie rolling the ball into an empty net after the Spaniard had charged from his line.
Arsenal lifeline
Andrei Arshavin gave Arsenal a lifeline with a stunning strike in the 70th minute and Robin van Persie claimed the equaliser eight minutes later when he converted as he challenged Abdoulaye Meite.
“It was a game where we needed to show lots of character and resilience in a football match which was played on a rugby pitch,” Wenger said.
“It was more about character than football. We made a massive mistake on the second goal and you cannot afford to do that. But we have shown we are ready to fight.”
Elsewhere, Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier endured a miserable end to a depressing week as Wolves won 1-0 at Villa Park.
Villa defenders Richard Dunne and James Collins were fined this week for criticising Houllier’s coaching staff in a restaurant row.
Neither player featured here, while Villa fans unfurled a banner demanding Houllier’s sacking.
Matt Jarvis piled on the misery for Houllier when he fired third-bottom Wolves ahead with a stunning volley in the 38th minute.
At Ewood Park, Blackburn battled back from two goals down to a salvage a 2-2 draw against local rivals Blackpool.
Charlie Adam put Blackpool 2-0 up with a controversial penalty and a stunning free-kick, but Christopher Samba reduced the deficit just after half-time and Junior Hoillett hit the equaliser in the 90th minute.
League Cup winners Birmingham crashed into the relegation zone after losing 2-1 at bottom-of-the-table Wigan.
Alex McLeish’s team opened the scoring in the sixth minute when defender Liam Ridgewell smashed in, but on-loan Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley equalised before Maynor Figueroa struck a 90th-minute winner.
Stoke cruised to a 4-0 victory over Newcastle at the Britannia Stadium, with the goals scored by Jonathan Walters, Jermaine Pennant, Danny Higginbotham and Ricardo Fuller.
In the day’s early kick-off, West Ham rode their luck to escape with a 0-0 draw against London rivals Tottenham that moved them out of the bottom three.
Avram Grant’s side gave a gritty display at White Hart Lane, but they needed some good fortune to avoid defeat as Tottenham hit the woodwork three times through Michael Dawson, Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale.
Results and standings
Premier League
Aston Villa 0
Wolves 1
Jarvis 38;
HT: 0-1. Att: 38,965.
Blackburn 2
Samba 49; Hoilett 90;
Blackpool 2
Adam 25 pen, 29;
HT: 0-2. Att: 27,209.
Everton 2
Coleman 36; Saha 49;
Fulham 1
Dempsey 62;
HT: 1-0. Att: 33,239.
Man. United 1
Berbatov 88;
Bolton 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 75,486.
Red card: Evans (MU) 76.
Stoke 4
Walters 28; Pennant 46; Higginbotham 49; Fuller 90;
Newcastle 0
HT: 1-0. Att: 27,505.
Tottenham 0
West Ham 0
Att: 36,010.
West Brom 2
Reid 3; Odemwingie 58;
Arsenal 2
Arshavin 70; Van Persie 78;
HT: 1-0. Att: 25,729.
Wigan 2
Cleverley 25; Figueoroa 90;
Birmingham 1
Ridgewell 6;
HT: 1-1. Att: 16,421.
Playing today
Chelsea-Man. City - 17:00
Sunderland-Liverpool - 14:30
Leading scorers
20 goals: Berbatov (Man. United).
18 goals: Tevez (Man. City).
11 goals: Carroll (Liverpool); Nolan (Newcastle); Van Persie (Arsenal).
Next fixtures
Saturday, April 2: 13.45 West Ham vs Manchester United. 16.00 Birmingham vs Bolton; Everton vs Aston Villa; Newcastle vs Wolves; Stoke vs Chelsea; West Brom vs Liverpool; Wigan vs Tottenham. 18.30 Arsenal vs Blackburn.
Sunday, April 3: 14.30 Fulham vs Blackpool. 5 p.m. Man. City vs Sunderland.
The Championship
Barnsley 0 - Reading 1
Bristol City 2 - Burnley 0
Crystal Palace 2 - Derby 2
Doncaster 0 - QPR 1
Hull 1 - Norwich 1
Ipswich 2 - Scunthorpe 0
Leicester 0 - Portsmouth 1
Middlesbrough 2 - Watford 1
Millwall 3 - Cardiff 3
Preston 2 - Coventry 1
Sheff. Utd 2 - Leeds 0
Swansea 3 - Nottm Forest 2
Standings: QPR 76; Norwich 67; Swansea 66; Cardiff 63; Leeds 61; Nottm Forest 60; Reading, Burnley 57; Watford, Hull 56; Leicester 55; Millwall, Portsmouth 54; Bristol City 50; Ipswich 49; Barnsley 47; Derby, M’Boro, Doncaster 44; Coventry 42; C. Palace 39; Sheffield Utd 35; Scunthorpe 34; Preston 31.
League One
Brentford 2 - Leyton Orient 1
Carlisle 1 - Bournemouth 0
Dagenham 2 - Charlton 1
Exeter 2 - Yeovil 3
Huddersfield 0 - Swindon 0
Notts County 0 - Bristol Rovers 1
Oldham 0 - Brighton 1
Plymouth 0 - Rochdale 1
Southampton 2 - Sheff. Wed 0
Tranmere 1 - Colchester 0
Walsall 5 - Hartlepool 2
Tomorrow:
MK Dons-Peterborough (20:45)
Standings: Brighton 74; Huddersfield 67; Peterborough 65; Southampton 64; Bournemouth, MK Dons 61; Leyton Orient 56; Carlisle 52; Rochdale 51; Hartlepool 50; Brentford, Exeter 49; Charlton; Colchester 48; Oldham 46; Sheffield Wed. 43; Notts County, Tranmere 42; Yeovil 41; Dagenham, Walsall 39; Bristol Rovers 36; Swindon 34; Plymouth (-10) 33.
League Two
Accrington 3 - Port Vale 0
Aldershot 1 - Stockport 0
Barnet 1 - Morecambe 2
Bradford 1 - Northampton 1
Burton 1 - Gillingham 1
Bury 2 - Cheltenham 3
Macclesfield 3 - Torquay 3
Oxford 2 - Crewe 1
Shrewsbury 1 - Wycombe 1
Stevenage 2 - Lincoln 1
Standings: Chesterfield 74; Bury, Wycombe 61; Shrewsbury, Gillingham 57; Rotherham 56; Torquay, Port Vale 55; Stevenage 54; Oxford 53; Accrington 52; Crewe, Southend 51; Aldershot 48; Cheltenham 47; Lincoln 46; Bradford 44; Macclesfield, Morecambe 43; North-ampton 41; Hereford 40; Burton 37; Barnet 34; Stockport 32.